MAYOR GIVES SELF HIGH MARKS

Susan Houriet; Courant Staff WriterTHE HARTFORD COURANT

In just 100 days as mayor, Democrat Frank N. Nicastro Sr. says he has fulfilled most of his campaign promises, including opening up city government, promoting economic development and making key appointments.

"I feel I've been able to accomplish many of the things I set out to do and that I pledged to do while I was running for the chair of mayor," he said Wednesday, on the eve of his 100th day in office.

But it will take many more days to accomplish his ultimate goal of restoring Bristol's economic health.

"My intent is to pull the city out of the rut it's been in," Nicastro said. He said he hopes the voters will give him another term to accomplish that goal.

As is to be expected, the former six-year city council member's Democratic compatriots are giving him high marks.

"On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give him an 8," said Democratic City Treasurer Patty Ewen.

Why not a 10? "Perfection is hard to achieve," she said.

Perhaps not so expected is that some Republicans said they have been pleasantly surprised with Nicastro's performance, including his willingness to work closely with the city council's sole Republican member.

But they also cautioned that it is too soon to tell how Nicastro will deal with some of the city's most pressing issues, including the outcome of the budget and contract negotiations with four city unions.

"I think it's too early to tell. The jury is still out," said Republican town committee Chairman Gary Schaffrick. "If the mill rate goes up - that will be the bottom line."

In his third-floor city hall office Wednesday, Nicastro ran down a laundry list of his campaign promises and how he has fulfilled them.

During the campaign against incumbent Republican Mayor William T. Stortz, Nicastro stressed open government, economic development and youth services.

Nicastro has succeeded in getting all boards and commissions to meet after 6:30 p.m. to make them more accessible to the public. He also reinstated the board of the Bristol Development Authority, started the process of hiring an economic development director, and convened an economic development committee to revamp the city's aid process.

A former truant officer for the board of education, Nicastro campaigned for the creation of a youth services division in the police department. One full-time position to staff the new office will be included in the police budget, he said.

Nicastro also promised during the campaign not to reappoint Richard LaMothe as finance board chairman. Nicastro and LaMothe had had disputes over the spending of the city's surplus funds. Instead of LaMothe, Nicastro appointed former school board member Fred Walker.

He also pledged to appoint more minority members to city boards and commissions, and started by appointing Delores Capers, who is black, to the housing authority.

The past three months have not been easy ones, he said. In addition to snowstorms that have doubled the city's expected snow removal costs, Bristol has suffered several economic blows, including the announced closings of the GM Delco Chassis plant and the D&L; clothing store.

Nicastro said he wants to turn the loss of the GM plant into an opportunity. Next month he will convene a meeting of GM, city and state officials to discuss the future of the plant. One of the many options he wants to examine is the creation of an industrial complex with 100 to 200 starter businesses.

Nicastro sits on more than 10 city boards and commissions, which makes for several 15-hour days a week.

"It doesn't bother me at all - it's part of the job," he said.

Director of Public Works Ronald Smith, who has had daily contact with Nicastro because of the snowstorms, said he liked Nicastro's style of decision-making.

"He makes decisions in a relatively short period of time after he analyzes all the issues," Smith said.

In terms of the budget for the next fiscal year, Nicastro said his intent is "to keep the tax rate as close to what it is as possible."

Republican City Councilman J. Harwood "Stretch" Norton said he has been impressed with Nicastro but that many of the "crunch" issues facing the city are still on the horizon.

"He wants to do a lot of things and it's going to cost money," Norton said. "He's going to be between a rock and a hard place."